Radio tuning system



Aug. 29, 1950 T. E. FRAUENSHUH RADIO TUNING SYSTEM Filed May 29, 1944 NQN --:ilf@lw wl wlimm 11111111 1 i Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RADIO TUNING SYSTEM Thomas Eugene Frauenshuh, St. Paul, Minn.

Application May 29, 1944, Serial No. 537,808

9 Claims. I

My invention relates to an improvement in radio tuning system, wherein it is desired to provide a tuning system which will act to change the tuning of the radio receiver from one station to another without the use of rotating knobs, push buttons, or the like.

In recent years it has become common practice to provide a push button mechanism by means of which a selected series of stations may be tuned in. In the usual system a series of push buttons are provided, each equipped with indicia designating a station of the selected group. As each button is actuated the corresponding station is automatically selected and the remaining stations excluded.

These push button radio tuning systems are simple to operate, but require a certain amount of effort to operate. On a small table radio receiving set, the operation of depressing one of the push buttons may shift the position of the entire set. Further it is necessary to see the indicia on the various buttons in order to select a desired station.

The object of the present invention is to produce a tuning system having an apparatus capable of tuning in a selected series of stations in a predetermined sequence, and requiring no push buttons or tuning knobs whatsoever. In order to tune in the next station of the sequence it is only necessary to contact with the fingers a certain predetermined area on the surface of the radio receiving set. Thus by merely placing a finger upon a selected area of the set one station of the selected group will be tuned out and the next successive station of the sequence tuned The outstanding feature of the present invention resides in the fact that any desired station of a selected group may be tuned in by simply touching a predetermined portion of the surface of the radio receiver with the hand or fingers either in a manner to provide a single contact or by a plurality of consecutive contacts.

A feature of the present invention resides in the fact that a portion of the exterior surface of the radio receiving set cabinet is provided with adjacent electrically conductive strips. These strips may form a part of the grill work or decoration of the set and may be on one or more surfaces thereof. By contacting these adjacent strips with a portion of the body, electricity is allowed to flow between these strips operating to tune the radio receiver to a different station.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a means whereby the call letters of the station tuned in are indicated on the dial of the radio receiving set by projected light. As the selector switches within the set are moved from one position to another a drum is rotated therewith. A light is arranged to project upon the translucent dial the call letters of a station through a transparent or open portion of the drum.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a means whereby the call letters of a station being projected, automatically disappear from the dial while the receiver is contacted, and the call letters of the next station to be selected will appear on the dial when the hand is removed from the receiver. This arrangement prevents a constant flicker of light during the changing operation and prevents the visible movement of the projected letters during this operation.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the fact that a single contact between the exposed strips above described operates to change the selector switches from one station to the next consecutive station of the selected list. continuously operated as long as continuous contact between adjacent strips exists.

My radio tuning system is particularly advantageous for operation by bed ridden or crippled persons who find difficulty in the manual operation of changing the tuning of the radio receiver. My tuning system is also particularly advantageous for use by persons who can not see the numbering on a dial, or the call letters on selector buttons without the aid of glasses. My system is also desirable for others, not only because of its simplicity, but also because of its novelty of operation.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of my specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a radio receiving set and cabinet embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a wiring diagram illustrating in principle the manner of embodying my tuning system in a common type of radio receiver circuit.

Figure 3 is a diagram view illustrating the mechanism for changing the selector switches.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic View of the light projecting apparatus and associated mechanism.

Thus the selector mechanism will not be contact strips and H may be of any desired shape or may extend on any desired insulating= surface of the cabinet. These strips may form a part of the design of the radioreceiving set or any essential part of the cabinet thereof (as long as the support is of insulating material), but are preferably rather close together for best opera ation. For example, metallic strips electrically spaced one-sixteenth-of an inch apart have been found desirable;

Figure 2 of the drawings illustrates a conven tional electrical diagramofa radio-receivingset' The set with' the invention attached -thereto. chosen for illustrationls a simple superheterodyne--witht automatic volume control,- and isequipped with=a converter tube 47,: anintermediate frequency amplifier tube I9, adet'ector amphifiier tube 251; and az'power output :tube': indicated a The volume :control of the radio receiveris indicatediin-Figure 2 by the letter Ar: This'iscontrolle'dbyithe control knob .B-of: Figure 1. The

rangement. The switches 21, 23 and 29 are attached to a common shaft, as indicated by the dotted line in Figure 2 between the switches, and are thus simultaneously operated by the knob F of Figure l of the drawings.

The switch arm 22 is electrically connected by conductor to the radio receiver chassis. One terminal 3c of the switch 21 is connected by conductor iii to a terminal of the conventional dial= light 32, the other terminal of which is connected by conductor 33 to one end 34 of the transformer secondary coil 3'5. The other terminal- Sa or-the coil 35 is connected to the radio receiver chassis. The other terminal 35 of the secondary coil 35 is also provided with a heater connection 31 which is connected to all of the heaters of the various tubes or The other terminal-of each of he tube heaters is connected to the radio receiver chassis.

Thus it.is obvious that whenthe switcharm 22 is inicontact with the .contact 3:'l .current will be supplied -by-the secondary coil 35 -to.illuminate jut...

the diailight- 32 radio-'tone'control is indicated by the letter-C- in" Figure i2 and is controlled by: the 1 knob D. of t Figure 1.

The power-foroperating'the-radio receiver is supplied through -a suitable plug: l 4,- the terminals of which are connectedito=the-termina1sof the primaryrcoil E5 ':of :the power transformer I6.

The power passes through the-on-ofi switchE which is actuated zbyv the control knob l B 'OfaFigure 1..

The electrical diagramof'the automatic tuning unit 'parts of whichiare myinvention, is'shown at the lower right ofliFigure'2 below thenpower supply of the radio; The electrical connections of the radio 'receiving-set'itself are'xnot changed to accommodate'the tuningumt; The tuning-unit istherefore inieffectadde'ditoithe set; Figure 2 being shown in its entirety to:ill1istrate :how 'the various connections are made between the timing unit and the'ra'dio receivingset;v A 'inechanical change is :made in the set, that "being .the substituting of ithe fpushi'button switches "by rotary selector switches.

Electrically'the stationsare'tuned in, in exactly the same manneivas with: push buttons. through the radio frequency selector switch and the oscillator switchyexcept that-:theyere tuned in in'sequence.

Inorder to change "from'manual to automatic tuning three switches 2'7, 28, and 29 are provided havingthree switch arms 22123, and 24." These switches-are'operable in unison andare movable between two positions. When the arms'22, 23, and:24 are 'in the position illustrated in'the drawings,-the-dial light and manualtuning means are disconnected from the'system and the automatic tuning unit is connected thereto. When these switcharms are turned-'to the other extreme posiion;th'e=usual dial light isilluminated,the manual tuning meansis electrically connected and the radio'receiveroperates in theiusual manner en'- tirely independent of the automatic tuning ar- The-other contact 39'oftheswitch 2? is connected by conductor B5to.a-twopositioncontact arm' ii :whiehininormal position engages a contact .42- connected by conductor 43 :to one terminal of; a call letterprojecting light 46,.the otherv terminal oi -which is cennected-by-conductor -45 to thewterminal-Stof-the secondary coili ii. Thus when the'switch arm EE is-in the position shown in;.the :dr'awingsa circuit .iscompleted from the radioreceiver chassis through .the conductor 25, through the switch arm 22, conductor 45, con tact arm :4 i,-ccntact t2, and conductor .3 to the projecting light 44', the other terminal of which is connected to-theisecendary'coil '35 through the conductor flii. The switch 21 therefore controls.

t i antenna coiliby the-conductor 4iand in the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings connects the aerial with the rotary six position radio=frequency;switch 49; forming'a part of the automatic tuninggapparatus. Inthe other positam. of "thesWitch'I-ZB, the antenna 'coil 'is-connected througlrcontact 5 Lvariable condenser 50, andiconductorl52', directly-to'the radio receiver chassis; thus by-passingthe selector radio frequency iswitch l 9:

Thetcontact 56ofthe two position switch 23 isz-connected to the conductor 51-, which connects to 'sone terminal -of each of -a-series of variable condensers '59 arrangedwinparallel. The other terminal of each of the condensers 59 is connected'to each of the'segments EB of the-rotary six position radio frequency switch: 49. i The switch armctl of-the switch 42 is connected by conductor B2- to'the conductor 12 leading to the radio receiver'chassis.

It. Ewill be'seen that when the contact arm 23 is "in'the positionillustrated, a circuit is closed through any-selected segment Sit r-rem the antenna 'coili'to the converter tube IT. It will also be noted that each segment isequipped with a variable condenser tlll'lil'lgthe antenna circuit to the "frequency of a selected station. Thus the condensers 59-:are preset fOT'SiX different selected :stations' and-the position of the rotary switch arm 6| regulates-whichof these stations will be received. It will also be noted that when the switch arm 23 engages the contact EBOne of the six stations will be received and the tuning condenser will be by-apassed. Similarly when this switch arm 23 engages contact 5i, the circuit will extend through tuning condenser 5|] and the pretuned condensers 59 will be by-passed.

A similar arrangement is provided for the rotary six position oscillator switch 63. The switch arm 24 of the switch 29 is connected to the coil 53 at this point 54 and is engageable with two contacts. One contact 64 is connected through tuning condenser Git-o conductor 52. The other contact 96 is connected by conductor 61 to one terminal of each of a series of preset condensers 69. The other terminal of each condenser 69 is connected to a respectiveone of the segments 19 of the rotary six position switch 63. The rotary contact arm ll of the switch 63 is connected to the radio receiver chassis at 12.

Thus in one position of the switch 29 the tuning condenser 55 is in the circuit and the six position oscillator switch 63 is isolated. In the opposite position.the tuning condenser 85 is isolated and the circuit extends through one of the preset condensers 59, depending upon the position of the switch arm 1!. I

The condensers 59 and 65 are the manual tuning condensers of the radio receiving set and are ganged for operation in unison. is tuned manually, the shaft of thegan-ged condensers El and 95 is rotated by the knob G shown in Figure 1.

I have now described an apparatus which includes connected six position radio frequency and oscillator switches, which may be disconnected from the circuit when manual tuning is desired, or which may be connected thereunto when automatic tuning is desired. I will now describe the means whereby the rotary switches t9 and 63 are advanced to move the rotating contact arms BI and H from one segment to the next of each switch.

The ground or chassis connections of the automatic tuning unit are connected to the receiver chassis and the tuning unit receives its power from the receiver power supply.

A conductor M which is connected to the positive high voltage conductor '55 of the radio receiver extends through the magnet coil and connects with a contact ll of the two way switch arm Lil normally biased by the spring 19 into engagement with the contact 92. The coil 15 is designed to draw the ratchet arm 89 toward the magnet core 8!. A spring ratchet 82 on the ratchet arm 99 is engageable with a ratchet gear or wheel 83 on a vertical shaft 34, as best seen in Figure 3 of the drawings. As diagrammatically indicated at the lower right of Figure 2 and as shown in Figure 4, the shaft 84 is supported by a bearing 85 upon the receiver chassis and extends upwardly and downwardly therefrom. The six position radio frequency switch 49 and the six position oscillator switch 53 are mounted about the lower end of the shaft 9 below the line of the chassis and the rotary switch arms 9i and'll are mounted on the shaft 85 to rotate therewith into successive engagement with the various segments making up the rotary switches. To hold the shaft in any one of six rotative positions I provide a hexagon nut or sleeve 89 on the shaft immediately above the bearing 85 which is engaged with a flat spring 8?. The spring 8'! tends to hold the shaft 34 in selected position.

At the upper extremity of the shaft 84 I'pro vide a drum shaped station indicating'member 89. This indicating member 99 is hollow to accommodate the projecting light M and is preferably opaque with the exception of the call letters of the selected group of local stations which are When the set.

transparent, translucent or open. As a result the light 44 may project the call letters of a selected station through the cylindrical wall of the indicating member 89. As the drum 89 is positioned immediately back of the translucent dial [3, the call letters of the station selected are projected upon the dial [3. The drum 89 is always 00- ordinated with the switches 69 and 63 so that the proper station is selected when the corresponding station call letters are displayed.

In order to actuate the magnet coil 16 it is necessary to move the contact arm 4! from its normal position indicated in the drawing, into its other extreme position engaging the contact 11. This is accomplished by means of a relay coil 99 which when energized, draws the contact arm 4| toward the relay coil core 9|.

The rotating contact arms BI and H of the rotary switches 49 and 63 are advanced from one segment to the next of each switch by the electromagnet coil l9 and its core 8| each time the relay coil 99 is energized and its core 8| attracts the contact arm 4! into engagement with the contact TI. The circuit is thus completed from the positive high voltage 15 through the conductor M, the coil 16, contact Tl, contact arm 4|, conductor 49, contact 39 and switch arm 22 of the switch 21, and through the conductor 25 to the radio receiving set chassis when the contact arm 4| engages contact 11. The switch 21 connects the high voltage to the electromagnet 16 of the tuning unit as Well as the low voltage to the projecting light 44 of the tuning unit through the conductor 49, depending on the position of the contact arm 4|, and disconnects the electromagnet 16 of the tuning unit and the projecting light 44 from the set when the combined switches l', 28, and 29 are in the manual tuning position.

I will now describe the means whereby the relay coil 99 is energized. The coil 99 is connected at one end to the plate 92 of the control tube 93. The other end of the coil 99 is connected by conductor 99 to the screen grid 95 of the tube 93. The screen grid 95 and conductor 94 are also connected through the resistor 96 to the metal strip Ill. The conductor 94 is also connected to the resistor 91, the other terminal of which is connected directly to the cathode of the rectifier tube 98 of the radio receiver power supply by conductor 99.

The cathode I03 of the control tube 93 is connected to the radio receiving set, chassis through a biasing resistor I92. The control grid l0! of the control tube 93 is connected through a grid leak. resistor I99 to the set chassis. The control grid l9! is connected by the conductor I05 to the strip ll through the resistor I06. The resistors 96 and H16 are of high resistance and completely eliminate the possibilities of a person receiving a shock when touching the metal strips 19 and l l. The resistors 96 and H16 are also included to prevent excessive positive voltage from being impressed on the control grid I9! which would shorten the life of the control tube 93. The excessive voltage mentioned above, however, would not be felt through the strips l9 and I l by a person touching said strips if the resistors 96 and 196 were excluded.

The control grid H)! of the control tube 93 is normally biased with a negative voltage which is supplied by the resistor I92 and through the resistor I99. This allows a small amount of current to flow through the tube 93 and through the plate 92 thereof, this current passing through the coil of the relay 1 H) which is connected thereto, Whenthis condition existsthe. contact, arm.

41 willrernain biased inits normal position by the spring 19 and w-i1l.thus. remain in. engagement.

withthe contact. 42. A. circuit. previously. described: is thus connected fromthe radio .receiver. chassis through therswitch 2.1., the relayswitch .4], and conductor 43, tothe light 44; which is sup pliedwith current from the transformer, sec-. ondary-ccil35. The-calLlettersoi a station are thus displayed on the dialand the'corresponding station-being pretuned by the variable condensers wand-.69 is tuned in throughthe radio frequency. switch AS-and-the oscillator switch 63.

It will-now. be seen ,that a person touching, the contact strips litand l Lcompletes; a. circuit. fromthe stripilQ-to-thestriul I, and apositive voltage is impressed on the inputgrid HlLofthe control; tube 93. This, is accomplished.insomewhatthe same manner as-in the; invention of. Robert B. Dome,- U.- S. PatentNo. 2,186,825, in whiclrthe control. grid. of one of the receiver amplifying. tubes. is 4 made positive -inorder. to. prevent radio signals frompassing. throughthe tube to. the speaker. of the radiov receiver.

Itmay-be noted thatranother. action takes. place withina tube controlledin thismaner other than rendering thetube unresponsive to alternating, currents: or signalfrequencies.impressed on. its control grid. During periods whenthe tube is.

biased beyond cut-off. or -the-grid is positive, there is'a; tremendous increase in.the. flow. oidirect. current. from theplateto the cathodeof the said tube. Theinci'eased current flow is inturn, due tothe factthat the control grid no-longer. pre-. sents anobstacle to the flow of electronsirom the, cathode to the plateor anode. The increased. flaw of: direct. current is-utilized to operate the relay. H0- in the plate circuit. of the.tube 93..

The-above-mentioned controltube is. one of a type known as as power. output. pentode. This type was selected because of its .ability. to-handle large amounts-,ofpowen and therefore a .ver-ydefi nits-action isobtained fromtherelay H0. The numbers.95,and- I04 .shown in Figure Zindicate thescreen-and suppressor grids respectively of the tube-93; and their functions are well known in the art.

Theenergization of thecoil-Ql-drawsthe 00.ntact arm 4'5.- ottherelay I.|fl..toward. its core 94, thus breaking contact with the terminal' lzconnected: in the circuit. of. the light 44, and makes contact with theterminal. 11. connected to .the magnet coil 15. The energizationofi the magnet coilH-l movesthe ratchet arm'fittoward the. core of. the magnetcoil, rotating the ratchet 83 onesixthiof, a revolution or sixty. degrees and simultaneously, rotating the shaftBA. andthe drum 89, nut Stand switch arms BI and. therewith.

The contact arm, llvv isthus moved into en gagement withcontactfl'l; eachtime the strips {Bland |.ar.e touched. The. contact arm 4| re urns. tonormalpos ti nin nsas mentwi 1 1 tact each time the hand is removed from the strips. L0 andlLthus illuminating light 44 and projecting upon the dial |3 the call letters of the station tuned in..

In the operation of my apparatus I'have previously described that theswitch arms 22; 23; and ZQ- WhGIl in one extreme position completely isolate the automaticrtuning apparatus, necessitating manual tuning of the receiver. However, when automatic tuning is desired, these switch arms are in the position illustrated, whereupon a selected station is received; When the switch arms52'2; 23', and-24 are turned to this latter posi- & tion, the dialdightji ofthe radio receiver goes out andthe calliletters:or'a selected station appear onthe dial |3' of the radio; these lettersbeing, projected through the drum 89 by the light 4.4.. When,a. person touches thestrips; l0 and I I simultaneously, the shafts 84; are rotated onesixthofa revolution; andduring this rotation the projectinglight is cut off;

Asuitable resistor- I01 and" condenser I09 are connected in series from the radio chassis to-the contact lflin order to eliminate arcing 'between;

the cpntactl'land'the contact arm 41; the contactarm ll being. connectedto the resistor lfl'l throughthe radio chassis, the switch 2 1, and-the conductor 40'. Theresistor- I01- and" condenser l0 9.are connected in this way; in order to eliminate. arcing between the contact 395 and arm 22 oitheswitch 21, which would occurif the-switch 2.1" was actuatedwhile the strips Ill-and H weretouched: The, resistor [01 andcondenser I09:

also prevent noise dueto arcing frombeing heard in the speakerof the receiver while the tuning unit is operating. 7

I have described a ratchet and electromag'net apparatus for advancing the-six position selector switches 49" and. 63'. It will be understoodthat other means could be substituted therefor to accomplish this result, if it was so desired;

Iv am. aware that various radio receiversexistwith push button;tuning-. Thepresent invention automatic tuning apparatus.

In accordance with the patent-statutes, I' have described the principles of construction and operation of my radiotuning-system, and while I haveendeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof; I desireto have it understoodthat obvious changes may be madejwithin the scopeof the following claimswithout departing from the spirit of .my invention.

I claim:

1, A radioreceiying system comprising a receiving, set having. a.. plurality of, presettable means for. presetting said. set to receive asignal fromany. one oia plurality of transmitting stations, astep-by-step selecting ineans for selecting adesiredone of said presettable means, said selectin means. including a movable member, impulse actuated; means operable by electrical impulses of, predetermined amplitude to operate said movable. member to move said selector a step for eachelectrical impulse received'by'said impulse actuated means, means including an electron dischargedevice having aplate connected to said impulse actuatedmeansto actuate the same, said electron discharge device in cluding a, grid to control the flow of electrons through saidplate, means for biasing said grid to selectable values of potential above I and' below the potential necessary to produce'an electrical direct current impulse of proper amplitude to actuate said impulse actuatedmeans, and means responsive to the electrical conductivity of the human body for actuating said grid biasing means, said last named means including a pair of electrically spaced contact members which may be simultaneously contacted manually by the human body.

2. A radio receiving systemcomprising a. receiving set having a pluralityof" presettable meansfor presetting said set toreceive a signal from any one of a plurality-oi: transmitting: sta- ,tions, a step-by-step Selecting means for selectsaid movable member to move said selector a step for each electrical impulse received by said impulse actuated means, a relay controlling the impulses to said impulse actuated means, means including an electron discharge device having a plate connected in series with said relay to actuate the same, said electron discharge device including a grid to control the flow of electrons through said plate, means for biasing said grid to selectable values of potential above and below tuate the same, said electron discharge device the direct current potential necessary toactuate' said relay to produce an electrical impulse, and means responsive tothe electrical conductivity of the human body for actuating said grid biasing means, said last named means including a pair of electrically spaced contact members which may be simultaneously contacted manually by the human body.

3. A radio receiving system comprising a receiving set having a plurality of presettable means for presetting said set to receive a signal from any one of a plurality of transmitting stations, a step-by-step selecting means for selecting a desired one of said presettable means, said selecting means including a movable member,

impulses of predetermined amplitude to operate said movable member to move said selector a step for each electrical impulse received by said im pulse actuated means, means including an electhe electrical conductivity of the human body,

for actuating said grid biasing means, said last" named means including a pair of electrically spaced contact strips which may be simultaneously contacted manually by the human body.

4. A radio receiving system comprising a receiving set having a plurality of presettable means for presetting said set to receive a signal from any one of a plurality of transmitting stations, a step-by-step selecting means for selec ing a desired one of said presettable means, said selecting means including a movable member, impulse actuated means operable by electrical impulses of predetermined amplitude to operate said movable member to move said selector a step for each electrical impulse received by said impulse actuated means, a relay controlling the impulses of said impulse actuated means, means including an electron discharge device having a plate connected in series with said relay to actuate the same, said electron discharge device including a grid to control the flow of electrons through said plate, means for biasing said grid to selectable values of direct current potential above and below the potential necessary to actuate said relay to produce an electrical impulse, and means responsive to the electrical conductivity of the human body for actuating said grid biasing means, said last named means including a pair of electrically spaced contact strips which may be simultaneously contacted manually by the human body.

5. A radio receiving system comprising a receiving set 'h'aving'a plurality *of presettable "means for presettingsaifd set to receive a signal from any one of a plurality of transmitting stations, a step-by-step selecting means for selecting a desired one of said presettable lneans, said selecting means including a movable member, impulse actuated means operable by electrical impulses of predetermined amplitude to operate said movable member to move said selector a step for each electrical impulse received by said impulse actuated means, a relay controlling the impulses of said impulse actuated means, means including an electron discharge device "having a plate connected in series with said'relay to acincluding a grid to control the flow of electrons through said plate, means for biasing said grid to selectable'values of direct current potential above and below the potential necessary to actuate said relay to produce an electrical impulse, and means responsive to the electrical conductivity of the human body for actuating said grid biasing means, said last named means includin a pair of electrically-spaced contact strips which may be simultaneously contacted manually by the human body, said receiving set having a cabinet enclosing the same, said con-' impulse actuated means operable by electrical tron discharge device having a plate connected tact strip being mounted on the exterior surface of said cabinet.

'6.A radio receiving system comprising a receiving set having a plurality of presettable means for presetting said set to receive a signal from any one of a plurality of transmitting stations, a step-by-step selecting means for selecting a desired one of said presettable means, said selecting means including a movable member, impulse actuated means operable by electrical impulses of predetermined amplitude to operate said movable member to move said selector a step for each electrical impulse received by said impulse actuated means, means including an electhrough its plate circuit, and means in said plate circuit actuated by an increase of direct current through the plate circuit for actuating said impulse actuated means, and means responsive to the electrically conductive property of the human body for changing the potential on said control electrode, thereby to effect a now of current through the electron discharge relay during the time that the last named means is manually touched to produce an impulse to actuate said impulse actuated means a step, said last named means including a pair of electrically spaced contact members which may be simultaneously contacted manually by the human body.

7. A radio receiving system comprising a receiving set having a plurality of presettable means for presetting said set to receive a signal from any one of a plurality of transmitting stations, a step-by-step selecting means for selecting a desired one of said presettable means, said se lecting means including a movable member, impulse actuated means operable by electrical impulses of predetermined amplitude to operate said movable member to move said selector a step for each electrical impulse received by said impulse actuated means, a relay connected to said impulse actuated means for controlling the impulses thereto, means including an electron discharge relay having a control electrode for controlling the flow of current to said first named relay, said first named relay being connected in 

